Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-01-07
A DEADLOCK IMMINENT.
THE INDIANA LEGISLATURE DIVIDED
AGAINST ITSELF.
Capture Of the Senate by Vigorous Pro
ceedings Under the Plan Of
the Democracy.

of Smith as Lieutenant Governor
Prospects of PipiI e Times Next Week
Governor Oglesby's Message to the ILL
noisans--His Views on the Labor Cues
tion and the State Revenue-Poiitical
Notes
INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. when the legis-
lature met Thursday morning, the galleries
Of both chambers were crowded with eager
spectators, all on the qui vive for sensational
episodes The center Of interest was, Of
course, the senate, the opening proceedings
of which were expected to bring affairs to
crisis at once The senate is Democratic by
a majority of twelve, and the programme
arranged by the Democrats for preliminary
organization of that body was carried out to
the letter, over the angry protests of the i'm
potent minority. At just 10 o'clock Green
Smith, president pro TEN. of the senate in
the last legislature and present claimant to
the lieutenant goyernorship, called the
senate to order. He is a large, square
shouldered man with voice like a calhope
and the bearing Of a slugger, who soon made
it manifest that he meant business. Senator
Winter, of Marion. the Republican leader,
shouted at the chair for several minutes,
while the latter was demanding the senators
to come to order Finally succeeding in
making himself heard. Senator Winter e1-
clai med:
81 rise to point or order"
The Chair-The senate is not organized
and can not receive or entertain business.
Winter-I desire TO move that we proceed
TO organize in accordance with law.
The Chsir-The motion is out Of order.
Winter appeal to the senate.
The Chair-The appeal IS out Of order.
Winter rise then to a question Of priv
ilege.
The Chair-The senator is out of order
Wiuter-A question of privilege is Away
in order. protest against the act Of this
person in assuming to take the chair.
The Chair bounding violentlyl-Sit down
Winter-I protest against this procedure.
The Chair-Rsduoe your protest to writing
and take your seat
Bishop knickerbocker was then called upor
to open the senate with prayer. While he
was addressing the throne OF grace in a fer
vent petition for blessings upon the delibera.
tons of the senate Winter and his fellow
partisans continued to protest, but the bishop
kept on with his prayer, and the incensed Re-
publicans finally subsidesi. All the Demo
Gratis stood during the prayer, bat the Re
puolicans remained sitting to emphasize Their
claim that the senate had not been legally
organized.
The law provides that in the absence of tbs
lieutenant governor the auditor of state shall
call the senate to order, but the Democrat
claimed that as the lieutenant governor was
present in the person OF Green Smith thi:
provision did not apply, and proceeded &C
cordingly. After the prayer the newly
elected senator's were sworn in BY Supreme
Judge collars, whereupon Senator johnson
Republican, said: Il desire to uygest that
an election of chairman Is the only thing nov
in order
The Chair-And desire to suggest tina
You take your seat and keep it.
The senator took his seat and the maiorit,
were allowed to have their own way in tn
subsequent proceedings without much resist
ance on the part of the opposition. A reso
luton was moved and carried under the WIFI
Of the previous question declaring thai
AIonzo Green Smith is hereby recognizes
and elected as president OF the senate. Thi
action was accepted as signifying settle
purpose on the part of the Democrats to holC
on to the chairmanship Of the senate an
compel Col Robertson, the lieutenant gov
ernor-elect, to resort to quo warranto pro
ceedngs to secure the position TIL
action was clinche1 by the usual par
liamentary motions, and the senate proceeds
20 adopt code of iron-ciad rules, which wer
put through under the previous question
These rules were carefully framed TO guar
against every contingency likely to arise i
the event that Robertson gets the chair
Rule 10 gives the committee on election e1
traordinary powers, providing that the
shall have the right of way for election COZ
tests at all times, and that upon the consid
Grafton Of such contests the previous questio
shall cut off ali debate as well as all motions
including motions 10 ad jOurn or take a re
cess. Another rule provides that in tn
event that the chair shall refuse TO put an al
peal to the senate the secretary of that bod
shall put the appeal.
The real tug of war will hardly come b
fore Monday, unless veritable coup d'ets
is attempted Friday in the house. Monda
the two houses will meet in joint session
when the speaker will open and canvass tn
returns of the recent election. He will d.
clare Col Robertson elected lieutenant GOV
ernor and the latter will be sworn in, and O
Tuesday will present himself in the sena'
chamber and demand the chair Smith wi
refuse TO surrender, and If the angry pa
sions of the rival partisans continue to DO
there is likely to be open violence upon tbs
occasion. Robertson is Scotchman fu
vim and pluck, while Smith is
bad man from way back, and spelling for
fight. II, happily. physical hostilities al
avoided, and Robertson's claims are ignore,
it is believed that the Republican member
will Withdraw. In this event the Democrat.
, representatives will doubtless pursue a lii
course, and the 18th inst, the day fixed
law for the balloting for senator to begil
will find two legislatures in session, each {
which will proceed to elect senator. Tn
is the outcome anticipated by many shrew
politicians. Others predict that the Repul
licans will submit to Robertson's exclusiC
after fling protest Robertson himself TAX
kindly to this idea. He said Thursday nigl
, that in no event should he seek to g
tablish his rights by resort to the court
because that is not the constitution
method and because in any event such pr
ceedings could not be carried through b
fore the end Of the session, when the remed
thus afforded would avail him nothing.
These was very little done in the hous
the proceedings in the senate beng the sens
ton of the day. The Republican nomine
for speaker and the other officers we're du
, elected AMI tue body organized
! GOVERNOR oGLESBY'S MESSAGE.
) The Labor Question and State Reven'